


As White as Bone

by mandalorian



Series: As Golden As the Sun [3]
Category: Heaven Official´s Blessing, 天官赐福 - 墨香铜臭 | Tiān Guān Cì Fú - Mòxiāng Tóngxiù
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-19
Updated: 2020-08-19
Packaged: 2021-03-06 02:54:21
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,860
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25996321
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mandalorian/pseuds/mandalorian
Summary: Mu Qing has a delivery to make. It goes as well as you might think.
Relationships: None
Series: As Golden As the Sun [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1886800
Comments: 3
Kudos: 30





	As White as Bone

Mu Qing silently cursed Literature Gods in general and Ling Wen in particular, as he stood in front of the Earthmaster´s frankly impressive mansion, nervously fiddling with the tightly sealed scroll in his hand. Why the hell did he think this was a good idea again? Because Ling Wen was a very cunning, manipulative person who knew him like the back of her hand of course. 

“It´s of the utmost importance”, she said. “Only deliver it to him personally, don´t leave it with his attendants.” she said. And most importantly... 

”I have some assignments that would Believers of all kinds see you more favorably, maybe even entice them into sending up some Lanterns for you...you have lost to Nang Yang Zhen Jun how many times in a row now, exactly?” she said. “I would of course be most grateful if you were so kind as to take this small little task out of my hands, you know the Palace of Ling Wen is always busiest this time of year, I would surely view everybody willing to help with our workload in a most favorable way.” 

And so here he was, playing errand boy and delivering some kind of fancy schmancy secrets to the Earthmaster, special delivery to his own personal hands only. Which wouldn´t be a problem usually, get in, do the thing and get out...but unfortunately, the Earthmaster wasn´t available at the moment, still recuperating in the Healing Halls from the injuries he had sustained during his little, unplanned stay at Paradise Manor. But Ling Wen had insisted and so the little attendant who opened the door for him had no choice but to allow him in and bid him to wait until their Master returned. 

“Can´t be too bad still though if they already saddle him with paperwork again...but Ling Wen is just that kind of heartless person, not even being tortured and nearly killed by a Devastation class Ghost King will get you out of doing your paperwork,” he thought to himself, grimacing slightly as he was led through the vast halls of the Earthmaster´s palace, curiously looking around. He had never been here, most Gods hadn´t with how solitary the Earthmaster tended to be unless Shi Qingxuan dragged him out. At least he´d get some gossip out of this errand, things had been slow the last few days and he had to admit he was slightly bored. 

It was cool inside the Earthmaster´s Hall, bordering on cold enough to even register to Gods as uncomfortable, the vast high halls lined by dark black stone, shot through with veins of ghostly silver and white. He could see no obvious light fixtures and yet everything had a slight bluish glow to it, enough to comfortably be able to see. There were no pictures, no trophies or spoils of war or artifacts on display, no decorations aside from small clumps of ferns and leafy greens growing in cracks on the walls and in the floors, watered by the gentle mist of dozens of small waterfalls running in graceful arcs down the dark walls, cumulating into small little streams on the floor, lined by pebbles and inhabited by fast little silver and golden fish. They´d dart through the quick currents of the ever-growing streams, metallic flashes at the corner of his eyes that made him shiver with the memory of golden eyes, just as cold as these streams might be. 

“It was just a trick of the light, the Earthmaster´s eyes are a very ordinary, boring old brown, just as brown as the dirt he likes to dig in, stop spooking yourself, what are you, three years old?? Feng Xin would burst a vein laughing if he knew that you were scared by little fishes...” 

Mu Qing squared his jaw, very deliberately not looking at the fish again as he was being led further into the Earthmaster´s palace. It was a peculiar place for a God, they all tended to go for grand and grander architecture bursting with gold and jewels and trinkets of all kinds, Ming Yi´s hall seemed barren in comparison. The Earthmaster was a peculiar one, scoffing at what most Gods would see as fine art and the proper way of behaving yourself, usually doing his own thing, whatever that might entail exactly. 

“It fits him well though, very severe and bordering on cold and yet, elegant in a way that all those brocade-laden golden palaces could never be. And I must admit it is beautiful in a slightly unsettling way” he thought as he walked after the attendant, carefully trying not to accidentally step into the omnipresent water. And yet, when they turned a corner and he could see a small, carefully tended garden with low mossy hills and a small teahouse instead of more oppressively black granite walls, he did breathe a silent sigh of relief. Having to wait inside what basically looked like a wet, fancy tomb with a bit of greenery strewn around would have been hard on the nerves, all elegance of the setup aside. This looked way more comfortable, the little streams all coming together into a shallow, crystal clear lake with the pavilion at its center. There were thin golden gauzy veils moving in the gentle breeze and some very comfortable looking pillows strewn around a low table where little servants where busy preparing tea and snacks for their unannounced visitor. 

And the fish were very definitely not small and golden and ready to spook him again, they were proper big Koi in mostly white and black colors with the occasional bright red in between, slowly gliding over the pale pebbled lake bed with not a single care in the world. They´d be something to watch and amuse himself with while waiting he thought, settling comfortably into the pillows and shooing away the servants. Mu Qing sniffed his tea carefully, giving an appreciative hum after trying a sip. He surely has good taste in tea that Ming Yi...maybe having to wait a little in a beautiful garden with good tea, pillows and snacks might not be the worst assignment he had ever gotten from Ling Wen after all. 

\---~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~---

The soft clearing of a throat is what wakes him in the end, that and the soft rustling of someone kneeling across from him and Mu Qing nearly faceplants right into the table as he startles fully awake, an unintelligible grunt slipping out between his lips before he can stop himself. 

“...a good day to you too General. I hope your wait hasn´t been too...strenuous?” 

The Earthmaster´s voice is as cool and flat as the granite that lines his halls with maybe just the slightest hint of amused derision for flavor as Mu Qing hastily sits up properly again, trying to discreetly wipe a bit of spit from his lower lip. Of course, he had to go and fall asleep right in the middle of the Earthmaster´s domain like a little kid trying to stay up past curfew, making a fool out of himself in front of the one person in Heaven able to reduce centuries old Gods into a sputtering mess with just a few well-placed words. 

“Ah yes, I mean no, not to strenuous I mean I have just been sitting here sitting isn´t that complicated” ...and I´m babbling nonsense, great, just let me dig my own grave and go die of shame in peace, please...”...a good day to you too Lord Earthmaster. I hope your treatments haven´t been too uncomfortable?” Mu Qing cringes as the words leave his mouth, great, just talk nonsense and then remind him of his horrible experiences at the hands of Crimson Rain Sought Flower, great way to make conversation really. 

The only reaction he gets to his outburst is the slight raising of one delicately arched eyebrow as the Earthmaster reaches for the tea set, carefully rinsing out pot and cups, measuring out and gently washing the leaves before pouring hot water over them with a small flourish, as precise as clockwork, not a drop spilled, not a sound to be heard aside from the soft clink of earthenware on wood. Mu Qing can´t help but stare transfixed at those long slender fingers, as pale and flawless as white silk without the telltale scars of a Martial God marring the skin, while Ming Yi continues in silence, allowing Mu Qing a few moments to gather his thoughts. Only once there´s a fresh, perfectly brewed cup of tea in front of Mu Qing again does he speak. 

“So... how can I be of service, General? I am assuming you are not here for a social visit?” The pure idea of Mu Qing doing social visits seems to amuse the Earthmaster enough that you can hear the slight sarcastic amusement in his voice. “Or -did- you come for more...personal reasons?” The amused sarcasm is heavy enough now that it finally drags Mu Qing out of his trance, and he tears his gaze from these thin, pale hands in a hopeless attempt to save what little face he still might have left, blushing furiously. 

“Ah no, no, all business I fear!” He gestures vaguely at the teacup in front of him. “You have very beautiful...cups. Teacups, They´re very pretty. Yeah.” He stares helplessly at the plain, bone white clay cup in front of him, silently wishing for the sky to drop down please. Or maybe one of the fish could swallow him? That would work too. 

The sarcasm in the Earthmaster´s voice has now completely been replaced by amusement. 

“Hm...how regrettable. What kind of business do you bring then?” 

Mu Qing plainly refuses to have heard that, reaching for Ling Wen´s scroll like a drowning person for a helping hand, thrusting it into Ming Yi´s face with the desperation of embarrassment. 

“Ling Wen asked me to deliver this to you, personally, and now I did so thank you for your hospitality. I´ll see myself out.” 

“Ah. Thank you for your service then.” 

The corner of the Earthmaster´s mouth lifts slightly in what might intended to be a polite if slightly amused smile, but Mu Qing can´t help but imagine sharp teeth hiding behind these thin lips, razor sharp edges underneath the water line, waiting for careless fools to step onto them and tear themselves to pieces, as bone white as the cup in those skeletal fingers. It´s a tactical retreat, he tries telling himself as he nearly stumbles over his own feet, sketching a hasty, barely polite bow in the general direction of the Earthmaster before fleeing in a very orderly and dignified manner, feeling the unflinching stare of those unsettling eyes at the back of his neck all the while. A tactical retreat, though he does not actually know what he is retreating from, and the next time Ling Wen wants something delivered she can do it herself and deal with the nightmares on her own...


End file.
